From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcarvecarve /kɑːv $ kɑːrv/ ●●○ verb 1 make object or pattern [transitive]AVS to make an object or pattern by cutting a piece of wood or stone → carvingcarve something out of/from something a statue carved from a single block of marble carved wooden chairs2 cut something into a surface [transitive]CUT to cut a pattern or letter on the surface of somethingcarve something on/in/into something Someone had carved their initials on the tree.3 cut meat [intransitive, transitive]DFC to cut a large piece of cooked meat into smaller pieces using a knife Carve the meat into slices. Who’s going to carve?► see thesaurus at cut4 job/position/life [transitive] (also carve out) to succeed in getting the job, position, life etc that you want He carved a niche for himself as a writer. She carved out a successful career in the film industry. He moved to Boston to carve out a new life for himself.5 water/wind [transitive] if a river, the wind etc carves land or rock, it removes some of it The river had carved channels in the limestone rock. → not be carved in stone at stone1(9)6 reduce something [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to reduce the size of something by removing some of itcarve something from something The company carved $1 million from its budget. → carve somebody/something ↔ up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
carve• The bust was mutilated in late antiquity, probably by Christians who carved a cross in the forehead.• What's the best way to carve a turkey?• Who's going to carve, Dad or Grandpa?• This plywood structure has grown bigger and bigger, and he has even carved gothic spires on its top.• Shapes of naked half-men half-beasts writhing in some hideous dance were carved on to the mahogany chair.• Her son holding his head beside the big carved pumpkin, mimicking a wide, toothy grin.• In Fujian, workers are carving roads into red clay hills, scaling bamboo scaffolding, hauling piles of stone.• Who's going to carve the turkey?• Michelangelo carved this figure from a single block of marble.• I am lying in the cornfield gazing at clouds being carved up by harp-edged leaves above me.• You start carving while I fetch the vegetables.carved out ... career• Through hard work and sheer determination, Dennis carved out a career in the building industry.Origin carve Old English ceorfan 